I read in a technology article the other day that TomTom have admitted to sending information about users to Police! This includes routing information and speed. This would allow the police to know which areas to target to improve their ticket haul.

I obviously am very concerned about this, and feel it's a breach of expectations, and therefore would prefer to no longer use my tomtom unit procurred 6 months ago. What are the chances I'd have a case for a refund ?

networkn: I read in a technology article the other day that TomTom have admitted to sending information about users to Police! This includes routing information and speed. This would allow the police to know which areas to target to improve their ticket haul.

It's not "information about users". AFAIK there isn't any personal information there. They only supplied location and speeds. They SOLD the data to Dutch police, as they do with anyone else that wants to purchase it.

Beddhist: Your Tomtom is a GPS receiver, isn't it? If this is the case, how does Tomtom (the co.) get at your data?

Some models ("Live") have a GPRS radio inside, to receive updated information on route conditions, and to upload drivers' updates, including speed camera reports, average speed, which is then used to calculate route times when this data is distributed to other TomTom Live devices in the same region.

This service is available in Europe, and New Zealand. New Zealand data includes AA traffic conditions being transmitted to devices. I have one here.

networkn: I read in a technology article the other day that TomTom have admitted to sending information about users to Police! This includes routing information and speed. This would allow the police to know which areas to target to improve their ticket haul.

It's not "information about users". AFAIK there isn't any personal information there. They only supplied location and speeds. They SOLD the data to Dutch police, as they do with anyone else that wants to purchase it.

Beddhist: Your Tomtom is a GPS receiver, isn't it? If this is the case, how does Tomtom (the co.) get at your data?

Some models ("Live") have a GPRS radio inside, to receive updated information on route conditions, and to upload drivers' updates, including speed camera reports, average speed, which is then used to calculate route times when this data is distributed to other TomTom Live devices in the same region.

This service is available in Europe, and New Zealand. New Zealand data includes AA traffic conditions being transmitted to devices. I have one here.

I understand, however, it's still information I would not want transmitted from my device and had I have known in advance would NOT have purchased the device.

I believe that companies who sell data like that have a responsibility to make this VERY VERY Clear on their packaging. Tucked away in a 9 page EULA isn't that.

1080p: I'm sure if Google or Apple decided to sell location data the reaction would be spectacular and pyrotechnic.

Do you have a smartphone with Google Maps? That's how Google collects the WiFi and cell tower information that is later used in the Google Maps itself or for third parties - for free! - through the Geolocation API.

If you use location-enabled products and services, such as Google Maps for mobile, you may be sending us location information. This information may reveal your actual location, such as GPS data, or it may not, such as when you submit a partial address to look at a map of the area.

Microsoft uses mobile data collected by Navizon. Apple is collecting its own data. Every time you open Bing Maps, iPhone Maps or Google Maps your device is collecting information, aggregating it and uploading so that they can then use that for some service or another.

I hope you discard your smartphones now, with your TomTom and Garmin devices...

Yep, get rid of your GPS devices, and your smartphones, oh and I think they can track any phones so really they all must go. Your car also keeps electronic data on it that the Police can use so that will have to go as well. No more eftpos or credit card transactions because they can track you that way, oh and pull the plug on your internet because they will find and fine you there as well now. No more walking down the street because the security cameras have facial recognition, gee I think my fridge is watching me...Aaaarrrggghhhhh!!!

Lets all just put tinfoil on our heads and run for the forest!

HA HA

Love my Tomtom, and as I have nothing to hide I don't much care.

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman, then always be the Batman

If Police really wanted to improve their ticket haul why use this service. Conceivably they could get rough location data from a telco about their customerbase in predetermined areas (damn-it get the data for the whole country). And simply use this to highlight traffic flow/congestion issues.

No personal information needed, simply cellsite derived user locations. Who knows they may be doing it already

Police use TT data to set speed camera locations, TT have said locations marked on maps so TT users are providing the information but also semi protected with a pre-warning system

With live data and IQ routes etc the system relies on two way information exchange, if everytime i update my TT online it uploads some amount of data is extracted incorporated into future updates to provide me a better quality product then i am all for it.